WE NEED YOUR HELP - WHETHER YOU OWN AN "EXOTIC" ANIMAL OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL.
HR 669 IS SET FOR HEARING ON 4/23/09.
WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO KILL HR 669 NOW.

THE ISSUE - WHAT IS HR 669? - WHAT WILL IT DO?

"ONE GENERATION AND OUT" is not just limited to purebred dogs and cats. Now our "non-native" species" are targets of the animal prohibitionist agenda. Under HR 669, "non-native" basically means if a species of animal didn't live in the US before the arrival of Columbus it is "non-native", and if HR 669 passes, most non-native species of animal (i.e., exotic animals) won't remain in the US much longer. That means your exotic pet bird, reptile, fish, or mammal.

HR 669 is a very serious and harmful animal prohibition proposal. HR 669 is not needed to protect our environment. HR 699 is the legislative equivalent of a nuclear bomb that is aimed at the entire US exotic pet industry, all US exotic pet owners, and all exotic animals in the US.

HR 669 is an "anti-animal bill". There is no amendment that can fix this bill. HR 669 will hurt everyone who owns an animal, and it will hurt our animals. Breeder, pet owner, rescuer, rehabilitator, zoo, service or product provider - it doesn't matter - we will all be hurt by this bill. HR 669 needs to be killed at the April 23rd hearing - not amended, not "made better" - HR 669 NEEDS TO BE KILLED. Please contact the Representatives hearing this bill NOW and ask them to KILL HR 669 (see below for contact information).

All import, export, transport across State lines, selling, buying, bartering, or offering to sell, buy or barter, and all breeding, of all non-native species not on the "approved list" will be prohibited - even by zoos, sanctuaries, and licensed breeders. Permits authorizing only "importation" may be issued to "zoos, scientific research, medical, accredited zoological or aquarium display purposes, or for educational purposes that are specifically reviewed, approved, and verified by the Secretary". There is no requirement that any permits be granted. Even if these institutions are able to obtain the required permits, where will they obtain their imported animals? Habitat for many species is declining worldwide, many species are endangered or threatened in the wild, and many species cannot be imported to the US under the CITES treaty. The result of this bill will be to put a stop domestic breeding of most endangered or threatened species in the US for zoos, conservation, or reintroduction programs. Zoos are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

If you "possess" a non-approved species "legally" prior to enactment of the law, you will be allowed to keep it, but all of the other restrictions pf HR 669 will still apply to your species - you will not be allowed to sell, transfer, transport across State lines, export, barter, trade, breed, or give that animal to anyone else.

Pet owners will not be allowed to take their non-approved pets with them if they move to another state, and they will not be allowed to transfer them to anyone else who can care for them. Those pets will be euthanized when their owners move, die, or can no longer keep their pets for whatever reason. Pet owners and their pets are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

"Rescue" and "sanctuary" will not be available for any non-approved species unless the rescue or sanctuary keeps only species found within their respective States. That result has been contemplated for years. Rescues and Sanctuaries are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

Any person or company manufacturing or selling food or products for non-native (exotic) species will be affected by this act. If non-native (exotic) species cannot be legally possessed, bought, sold, or transferred, there will be no incentive for manufacturers of food, caging, and supplies for these animals to remain in business. Where will non-native (exotic) animal owners obtain the food and materials needed to keep their animals?

THE LEGAL DETAILS OF THIS BILL

Under existing federal law, it must be shown that a species is harmful before it is prohibited. That approach is reasonable, and has worked reasonably well for many years. In essence, HR 669 turns that reasonable approach on its head, and substitutes the unreasonable and unjustified approach of "bomb first, ask questions later".

HR 669 requires the government to create an "approved" list of "non-native" species that will be allowed in the US. Any species not on the "approved" list will be prohibited. Under HR 668 the "approved" list shall include "nonnative wildlife species that the Secretary finds ... based on scientific and commercial information .... (A) are not harmful to the United States' economy, the environment, or other animal species' or human health; or (B) may be harmful to the United States' economy, the environment, or other animal species' or human health, but already are so widespread in the United States that it is clear to the Secretary that any import prohibitions or restrictions would have no practical utility for the United States."

It takes time and money for the government to study any species and make a "finding". Time and money are always in short supply, and are especially in short supply in this economy. If your species is not included on the original "approved list", then under HR 669 you can try to get your species "approved" by paying a fee and submitting a proposal to our government to include it on the "approved list". Your proposal "must include sufficient scientific and commercial information to allow the Secretary to evaluate whether the proposed nonnative wildlife species is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to other animal species' or human health." While your proposal is being "evaluated" by our government, you and your animals are still subject to the restrictions of HR 669. Whether your proposal will ever be granted is pure speculation.

There are more than 9000 bird species, and thousands of species of birds are kept in the US. There are many other non-native (exotic) species owned by animal lovers across the US. How many bird or other non-native (exotic) species do you think our government can afford to study and determine that they can be added to this newly created "approved list"?

If the required study can't be made of a species, and the required finding isn't made about a species, the animal won't make it to the approved list. That applies to every species of non-native (exotic) animal.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP KILL HR 669

Contact your Representatives NOW

1. You can use NAIA's Capwiz tool to send an automatic email or fax to each of the Representatives who will hear this bill to ask them to KILL HR 669. Here's the link to send your email using Capwiz:
<www>

2. PIJAC has provided us with a PDF flyer which explains to pet owners how HR 669 will hurt all of us and our animals. The PIJAC PDF flyer is attached to this email. The PIJAC PDF flyer provides you with contact information - use it. Please contact your own Representatives NOW, and tell them to KILL HR 669. Be polite and respectful, but be clear and firm in your opposition to this bill. Be brief, and tell them a few reasons why you think it is a bad bill. Short and to the point works best. If you have time, you can also contact all of the Representatives in your State.

Write to your Representative using their contact pages on their websites. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard for us to contact many of our Representatives - simple emails don't often go through, letters aren't read, and we have to write individually to our Representatives using the contact pages they put up on their websites. PIJAC has done the work to give us links to these contact pages on their websites so that we can make those contacts (see the attached PIJAC PDF flyer), and NAIA is making "Capwiz" available for the one-shot contact - go to the Capwiz webpage at <www>

Call and Fax your Representative at the numbers provided on the attached PDF PIJAC flyer.

Be sure to contact the local office of your own Representative by phone, and if you can, make a personal visit. Our congressional representatives are now on recess, and will return to their work at the Capitol next week. Let your Representatives' local offices know NOW that you want them to KILL HR 669. If the local staff hear from enough constituents that they want a bill killed, they will let their Representatives know that their constituents hate this bill.

3. Distribute this email, NAIA's link, and PIJAC's PDF flyer widely to everyone you know who loves animals and wants to keep them in our lives. In particular, send it to any pet lists you are on. This bill will impact almost all non-native animals. Ask them to contact the representatives and ask them to KILL HR 669.

You can see PIJAC's earlier alert on HR 669 here:
<http>

You can see the full text of the bill here: <http>

A NOTE ALL ANIMAL OWNERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO BIRD OWNERS

Does the Pennsylvania Proposed Ban of the Nanday Conure of 2008 ring a bell for anyone?

For those bird owners who fought so hard and so well for the Nanday in Pennsylvania in 2008 - that was just target practice.

HR 669 IS THE ANIMAL PROHIBITIONIST NUCLEAR OPTION - STOP IT NOW.

Get your phones, emails, and faxes working and get our troops marching again. We need every one of you to help again, and we need the help of everyone you know. It doesn't matter if they own a bird, a dog, a cat, a turtle, a hamster, a fish, a snake, a tiger, a monkey, or any other animal. We are all affected by this bill. Don't let the animal prohibitionists force their agenda on the rest of us.

SonoitaUPA MEMBER

Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 162
Location: Sonoita, Arizona

Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:56 am

the http addresses are not visible. Please give us the addresses if you can. Thanks

_________________Rancho Escondido
Sonoita, AZ

DMFarmsSite Admin

Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 183
Location: Winona Texas

Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:35 pm

Here is another link http://www.stop669.org/ if this bill passes there will be no buying or selling of birds you want ever be able to give them away.
Doug

featherheadUPA Forum Moderator

Joined: 08 Nov 2007
Posts: 869
Location: Louisville KY

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:07 pm

How did this hearing go?

(Gee, does this mean that all thoroughbred horses would need to go back to Europe?)

_________________Be the change you want to see in the world.

JeannaUPA MEMBER

Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Posts: 298
Location: Indiana

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:33 pm

Hello,

On the Stop HR 669 website is says the the bill may be dead. This is unconfirmed.
Below is the response I received from our congressman in our district regarding the HR 669.

Supposedly the response from the public opposing this bill was overwhelming.

I also noticed the representative that introduced this bill is from Guam?

***********************

Dear Jeanna,

Thank you for contacting me to share your views on the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, H.R. 669. I appreciate your comments, and I welcome this opportunity to update you on the status of this legislation.

For years, thousands of nonnative invasive species have been imported into the United States. Many of these species have had adverse ecological and economic impacts, and in some cases have posed serious threats to human health. Recently, it is estimated that nonnative species have cost local, state, and the federal governments over $100 billion annually. An example of nonnative species creating havoc was the 2003 introduction of the Gambian rat, which was legally imported through the pet trade. This species carried the highly contagious monkeypox virus from Africa and it spread to humans in the United States. Another example is the 1950's introduction of the Asian hydrilla plant by a tropical plant and fish farmer in Missouri. Hydrilla chokes waterways by growing a thick layer at the water's surface and shuts out light below. It crowds out ducks and other waterfowl, sickens and sometimes kills fish, and increases mosquito infestation. Since 1982, Florida has spent $150 million attempting to control this plant.

On January 26, 2009, Representative Madeline Bordallo of Guam introduced the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, H.R. 669. This bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a comprehensive process for assessing the risk of all nonnative wildlife species proposed for importation into the United States. This legislation requires a variety of factors to be considered before importation, including the identity of the organism to the species level; the native range of the species; whether the species will cause harm to the economy, environment, other animal species or human health; and the likelihood of the species spreading throughout the United States. Shortly after its introduction, H.R. 669 was referred to the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife. While I am not a member of this committee, please be assured I will keep your views in mind when this legislation comes before the House for consideration.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your views with me. If you would like to learn more about my positions on issues important to you or receive regular updates on developments in Congress, please visit my Online Office at www.ellsworth.house.gov and sign up for my e-Newsletter.

Sincerely,

Brad Ellsworth

animallover516

Joined: 31 May 2010
Posts: 8
Location: dolton,IL

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:19 am

im glad it may be dead! they can't and shouldn't pass it.they should make an amendment that they can NOTdo this unless the species is harming native and the non native(altered) enviorment! when i heard this news this is how i felt but when i found out it may be dead i felt

_________________Leoncio516&ernie i do NOT know where burt&big bird are at, for all i know big bird hatched him a son and burt stole it! =O

D C TUPA Forum Moderator

Joined: 16 Nov 2007
Posts: 925
Location: Georgia, USA

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:44 am

Am glad that this is (hopefully) over. Right now congress has bigger things to trouble it